A linear hydraulic motor can be damaged if there is contact between the cylinder body and the piston component at the end of a stroke. Even if there is no damage, the metal-to-metal contact can produce a noise which is disturbing to anyone in the vicinity who would hear it. To avoid damage, load alleviation devices are often built into the motors. Examples of these devices, which have been termed buffers, snubbers and dashpots, are disclosed in the text "Hydraulic System Analysis", by George R. Keller, and published by the editors of Hydraulics & Pneumatics Magazine, Library of Congress Catalog Card No: 78-52991, on pages 130-133. Of particular interest is the snubbing technique shown by FIG. 9.20 on page 132.